


toss, turn

by alotofthingsdifferent



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: AU, M/M, meet cute, uh oh my new neighbor is hot, vague offscreen d/s
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-07-18 00:15:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7291876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alotofthingsdifferent/pseuds/alotofthingsdifferent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John’s neighbor -- the one who has a lot of loud, enthusiastic sex -- is really, really hot.</p><p>John is in so much trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	toss, turn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [engine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/engine/gifts).



> engine, I hope you enjoy! I did my best to come up with something you'd like based on your list of likes/dislikes (and also through sneaky secret talks with your friends!) 
> 
> The "vague offscreen d/s" tag refers to mentions of spanking.

John’s always been a light sleeper. The slightest sound can startle him awake -- a low rumble of thunder in the distance during a late-night storm, the mewl of a cat on the sidewalk three floor downs from his apartment window, the buzz of his phone on the nightstand if he forgot to silence it before going to bed. He’s used to it. 

He’d been lucky, these past few months, to have a vacant apartment on the other side of his bedroom wall, but two weeks ago, a new tenant moved in, and since then, he’s been waking up in the middle of the night more often than not. Not even the coffee brewed on the strongest setting of his Keurig can snap him out of the drowsiness that lingers through mid-morning, and he jumps when he hears a loud knock on his office door, spilling coffee all over the papers he has spread out on his desk. 

“Shit,” he mumbles under his breath, patting the mess up with a few loose napkins he grabbed from the top drawer. “Come in!”

Schmitty stands in the doorway, looking amused. “Carly,” he says with a smile, and it’s way too early for this, John thinks, or maybe he’s just not awake enough. “I knocked for like three minutes. You alive?”

“Yeah,” John says, waving Schmitty in with the hand that’s not cleaning up his mess. “Just -- not really awake yet.”

Schmitty pushes off the door frame and saunters into the room, plopping heavily into the chair across from John. “Long night?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. 

John leans back in his chair and presses the heels of his hands to his eyes. “Nah,” he says honestly. He knows what Schmitty’s getting at, but it’s been weeks since he’s been out, even longer since he’s picked up. Work has been busy, and he hasn’t been sleeping, so it’s been the furthest thing from his mind. “My new neighbor's kind of -- loud. Haven’t been sleeping well.”

Schmitty raises an eyebrow. “Loud how?”

John shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know, like -- I can hear mumbling at night, and sometimes, uh. Moaning and stuff? His bedroom wall must be right up against mine.” He doesn’t mention the pretty steady stream of guys he’s seen coming and going from the guy’s apartment every morning. He figures Schmitty gets the point, he doesn’t need to go into too much detail about how he’s pretty sure the sex this guy is having is pretty intense. It’s not his business, so he’s not going to make it Schmitty’s either.

“Aww, you jealous, Carly? Neighbor dude’s getting some while you lay awake in bed wishing it was you?”

“Shut up,” John says fondly, tossing a paper clip at him. “I don’t even know the guy, never seen him. He’s just -- got a very active sex life, apparently.”

“Lucky dude,” Schmitty says appreciatively, and John waves a dismissive hand at him.

“Anyway,” he says, dying for a change of subject. “What’s up, did you need something?”

“Yeah, actually,” Schmitty says, and the talk of John’s neighbor’s sex life is forgotten in the wake of Schmitty’s questions about a customer’s business tax return.

**  
Three nights later, when John’s just fallen to sleep, he’s startled awake by -- a sound, he’s not sure what. His brain hasn’t quite caught up with the fact that he’s awake yet, so all he knows is _something_ woke him up. He rubs his eyes, swallowing a yawn as he rolls onto his side, pushing one arm under his pillow and burrowing his face into the warmth there. Sleep is still close, buzzing behind his eyelids, and he’s just drifting off again when there’s a loud “thump” against his wall.

“Shh,” he hears, muffled through the sheetrock, and he sighs heavily, resigning himself to yet another sleepless night. He hears mumbled voices, another “thump”, and when someone cries out, his heart jumps to his throat. He freezes, holding his breath, and when he hears it again, he pushes himself up onto one elbow. He hears the distinct sound of a slap, recognizable even through the wall, followed by another, followed by a sharp cry. When there’s a loud crash, like a lamp hitting the floor, he throws the covers off and plants his feet on the floor, ready to break his neighbor’s door down and -- save him? He doesn’t know, but this is nothing like the other nights, the other sounds he’s heard.

He’s just about to stand up when he hears quiet laughter drifting through the wall, hushed voices having a conversation. He grips the edge of the bed tightly, resisting the urge to press his ear to the wall. Before long, the sounds become familiar -- long, low moans, the slight creak of the bed, muffled laughter. 

In an odd way, it’s comforting, and for the first time in awhile, he doesn’t have much trouble falling back to sleep.

**  
He meets his elusive new neighbor for the first time the next morning, because that’s just how the universe works. He’s just locking his apartment door when he hears the door next door open and shut, and when he looks over, his heart does a weird little flip in his chest. He’s seen plenty of guys leaving his neighbor's apartment, and they’ve all been nice to look at. But this guy -- this guy is _really_ John’s type, and he has a momentary flash of jealousy that his neighbor got to spend the night with him. 

His hair is longish, sticking out from under the backwards snapback on his head. His tshirt is pulled tight over his broad shoulders, and his jeans, though a little long, make his ass look amazing. When he turns toward John, he gives a small smile and a little wave, and John can’t remember the last time he saw eyes that blue.

It’s also a little strange, he thinks, that his neighbor’s one-night stand is waving at him, but he waves back anyway, giving him a little nod. He’s about to be on his way when the guy takes a few steps towards him, leaning against the wall between their apartment doors with one shoulder. 

“Hey,” he says, and John swallows. This is weird, he thinks. This guy just hooked up with his neighbor, and how he ‘s standing in front of John with his hip cocked and his arms folded over his chest, a flirtatious smile on his face, and John really needs to reconsider his life choices, because he kind of likes it. “I’m TJ.”

John clears his throat and adjusts the strap of his bag on his shoulder. “John,” he says, and holds out a hand. TJ’s palm is warm against his when they shake. 

TJ smirks , the corner of his (very pretty) mouth crooked up just a little. “Nice to finally meet you,” he says, and it takes a long moment before the lightbulb above John’s head flips on.

“Oh!” he says, surprised. “I thought -- “

“You thought I was your neighbor’s hookup,” TJ says, his eyes dancing, and John ducks his head, sheepish.  
“Yeah, uh. Sorry about that? I just -- I’ve never actually seen you before, so I didn’t know.”

“No big deal,” TJ says, friendly. “Hopefully we’ll see more of each other from now on.” He pushes off the wall and _winks_. “I gotta jet, can’t be late for work again or I’m in hot water with the boss.”

John’s neighbor -- the one who has a lot of loud, enthusiastic sex -- is really, really hot.

John is in so much trouble.

**

He’s fumbling one-handed with his keys, a bag of takeout in his free hand, when he hears a voice to his right.

“Hey!” It’s TJ, walking towards him with a grin on his face. He’s just as good-looking as he was this morning, and John has to make a concerted effort not to stare. There’s a smudge of dirt on TJ’s arm, and one on his cheek, the knees of his jeans caked with grass stains. TJ must notice him looking, because he says, “I’m a landscaper.” Which explains the tan, then, too, John thinks.

“Cool,” John says, and points to the laptop bag sitting at his feet. “Accountant.” TJ makes a face, and John laughs. “Yeah, I know. I’d much rather be doing something with my hands, but apparently I’m pretty good with numbers, and it pays the bills, so.” 

TJ nods, and his eyes drop to the dinner John’s holding in his hand. He licks his lips, and John has to swallow to keep his throat from going dry. “Is that New Hong Kong?” he asks, raising his eyes to meet John’s.

“Yeah,” John says. “Shrimp lo mein and beef with broccoli.” 

“Oh man,” TJ says wistfully. “I shoulda stopped. Been so busy all week I haven’t had a chance to get to the store. Bread and water for me tonight.” It’s a joke, John knows it is, but TJ is really fucking hot, and his mouth is intent on saying things before his brain can stop it.

“You wanna join me?” he asks, and TJ raises an eyebrow, his eyes lighting up. “I have plenty.”

“Oh man, that would be great,” TJ says. “Just let me --” he waves a hand at himself, and John nods. He should change, too -- he hates eating in his suit and tie. 

“Just knock when you’re ready,” he says, and TJ claps him on the shoulder as he passes, then disappears into his apartment, the door clicking shut behind him. 

And that’s how John ended up eating dinner on his couch next to his hot neighbor, who he just met this morning, who has a great sense of humor and an even better smile. TJ leans back into the couch cushions and rests his hand on his stomach; he has one ankle tucked underneath his thigh, and his nylon shorts are riding up just enough that John can see a sliver of pale skin hidden above the hem. “Oh my god, that was so good,” TJ says. “Thanks, man, this was really great of you, letting me crash your dinner.”

John swallows his last bite and sets his plate down next to TJ’s on the coffee table. “No problem,” he says. “Like I said, it was more than I’d have eaten.”

“Yeah, but I probably stole your leftovers for the week, huh?” TJ asks, and John laughs. 

“Yeah, I’ll give you that.” John probably would have eaten lo mein for lunch the rest of the week if TJ wasn’t here to share his dinner, but he’s not complaining.

They sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the quiet drone of the TV in the background. 

“So,” John finally says, and TJ looks at him, swinging the neck of his beer bottle between two fingers. “I was this close to breaking your door down last night. Thought someone broke in and was trying to murder you or something.” He gets through the sentence without his voice cracking, but his face is a little hot.

TJ’s own flush blooms high on his cheekbones, but his grin is confident. “Uh, yeah,” he says, chuckling softly. “Sorry about that? I get a little loud when I’m, uh. You know.”

“That’s the loudest I’ve heard you,” John says boldly, before he can stop himself, and TJ’s eyes sparkle mischievously. “Uh, I mean. Not that I. You know. Your bedroom wall is up against mine, I think?”

TJ shrugs and takes a swig of beer. “He was spanking me,” he says matter-of-factly, like it’s nothing, and John nearly chokes on a breath of air. “I get loud when someone’s slapping my ass.”

“Oh,” John says, because he literally cannot come up with anything better. It’s suddenly hot in the room, stifling, and his mind flashes to the image of TJ on his hands and knees, his ass red and his dick hanging hard and heavy between his legs. John clears his throat and shifts slightly, touching the cool bottle to his neck casually. The condensation drips onto his skin, down the side of his neck, and when he risks a look at TJ, TJ is looking right back. “So, uh. You like that then?”

“Mmhmm,” TJ says, and when he licks his lips, John’s eyes drop to his mouth. “Not every time, but with the right person.”

“Oh,” John repeats.

“Relax,” TJ says with a smile. His arm is draped over the back of the couch, and he only has to stretch his hand a short distance to touch his fingertips to John’s shoulder. “I’m cool talking about it.”

“Oh,” John says again, and TJ laughs, his head thrown back so John can stare at the long, smooth column of his throat. “So then last night --”

“He got me a little too hard,” TJ admits. “It happens. I kicked my leg out, hit the lamp -- you probably heard that part.”

John’s cheeks are on fire. He nods. “Uh. Yeah. That’s about the time I was jumping out of bed.”

TJ smiles warmly and touches his shoulder again. “Coming to the rescue of a guy you’ve never met, huh?”

“Well, I’ve met you now,” John says. 

“Yeah? Would you still rescue me now that you know me?”

 _I wanna be the one making you moan like that_ , John thinks, and it must show on his face, or in his eyes, because TJ’s go dark and he licks his lips again. 

“Have you ever?” TJ asks, and John blinks.

“Have I ever rescued someone?” he asks, confused. 

TJ smirks and shakes his head. “No. Have you ever, y’know. Spanked someone. In bed.”

“Oh! Oh, uh. No, I haven’t. No one’s ever asked me to, I guess?”

“Huh,” TJ says, thoughtful. He takes another drink from his bottle, finishing it off, and sets it the table next to his plate. “You should try it sometime.” 

John stares at him, eyes wide, and TJ back tracks quickly.

“I mean, y’know. If you wanted to. If it’s like, your thing. Sorry, I didn’t mean to --”

“No,” John says, interrupting him. “It’s fine, it’s. Yeah. Yeah, I should do that. Try it. With someone.”

“Cool,” TJ says, smiling crookedly. 

“Yeah,” John says. “Cool.” There’s a pause, the air heavy with the question neither of them seems willing to ask, so John gets up and clears their dinner plates, rinsing them in the sink.

“I should get going,” TJ says from the couch, and John looks over his shoulder just he’s standing up. “Laundry night.” 

“Ok,” John says, turning his attention back to the dishes. “This was --” He jumps when TJ’s suddenly right in his space, his body heat warm against John’s back. He can feel TJ’s breath on his neck, and TJs hands come to rest on his hips, his fingertips skimming the smooth skin under John’s shirt. “Fun,” he finishes, his heart racing.

“Thanks for dinner,” TJ says, and then, low in his ear, “And just so we’re clear? I meant you should try it with me.” 

He’s slipping out the door before John can formulate a reply, and when the door clicks closed, John huffs out a loud breath, reaching between his legs to adjust his dick in his shorts. 

Yeah. He’s in big trouble.

**

“Come on,” TJ whines, biting at the join of John’s neck and shoulder. “Babe, come _on_ , we’ve been on like, five dates now, can you please just --” He gasps when the palm of John’s hand connects with the back of his thigh, sharp against the soft skin just below his ass. John’s palm stings, and he feels like his whole body is on fire. 

After TJ left his apartment that night, John waited an hour before knocking on his door. TJ grinned wickedly when he answered, and when John asked him out to dinner, his smile went from mischievous to soft and shy.

“Really?” TJ asked, and when John nodded, TJ ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s been awhile since I, uh. Dated anyone.”

“It’s just dinner,” John said gently. “We’ll see where it goes.” TJ agreed, and four dates after that, they still hadn’t slept together. There’d been lots of kissing, and TJ rubbed him off through his shorts one night while John tried (and failed) to watch an old Stanley Cup Final game on TV. 

Now he’s got TJ naked in his bedroom, sprawled over his lap with his ass on display, and he can’t believe he hadn’t done this one night one. He never wants to stop.

They don’t knock over any lamps, and when TJ cries out, it makes John’s heart race in the best possible way. When he falls asleep that night, there’s nothing but silence coming from the apartment next door. 

And even with TJ snoring lightly next to him, he falls into an easy sleep that lasts all the way until the morning.


End file.
